Black History Month 2021: Where, When and How To Celebrate In London
Today is an important day in the UK as it marks the launch of Black History Month 2021. This year the campaign for Black History Month invites Black and Brown people across the nation to share what they are Proud To Be – for a festival of celebration in October.
In every London borough dozens of community events are occurring, to support and celebrate Black History Month. We’ve put together a shortlist to help you celebrate #Proud2Be.
James Barnor: Accra/London - A Retrospective at The Serpentine
Visit The Serpentine to witness the work and life of British-Ghanaian photographer James Barnor, whose career spans six decades, two continents and numerous photographic genres through his work with studio portraiture, photojournalism, editorial commissions, and wider social commentary.
Born in 1929 in Ghana, James Barnor established his famous Ever Young studio in Accra in the early 1950s, capturing a nation on the cusp of independence in an ambiance animated by conversation and highlife music. In 1959 he arrived in London, furthering his studies and continuing assignments for influential South African magazine Drum which reflected the spirit of the era and the experiences of London’s burgeoning African diaspora. He returned to Ghana in the early 1970s to establish the country’s first colour processing lab while continuing his work as a portrait photographer and embedding himself in the music scene. He returned to London in 1994.
This exhibition is free and will continue until the 24th October, 5pm.
RCRD Shop Presents: Sundaze
Every Sunday
Dance the day away at Sundaze, a weekly series of free Sunday day parties taking place at Boxpark Shoreditch, from 3pm until 8pm. The RCRD Shop will be showcasing some of the freshest singers, musicians, and DJs in and around London. Expect a full live band backing up everything and everyone from neo-soul to R&B, rappers to singer-songwriters in the central terrace bar.
Boxpark Shoreditch, 2-10 Bethnal Green Road, London, E1 6GY
Register your interest here
Curious At Soho Theatre
Thursday 16 September – Saturday 16 October 2021
Take a trip to the Soho Theatre to watch Curious, a play written and performed by Jasmine Lee-Jones, the winner of Evening Standard Award 2019 and Critics’ Circle Theatre Award for Most Promising Playwright. Curious is a frank, funny and moving excavation of the lives of two actresses who are young, Black, queer and trying to find out who they are.
Soho Theatre, 21 Dean St, Soho, London, W1D 3NE
Book Ticket Here
Tickets From £12
Black History River Cruise
Sat, 23 October 2021
14:00 – 17:00
Book yourself on to a 3-hour cruise along the Thames, from Temple to Greenwich, and back. This cruise will show you the thousands of years of African/Caribbean history on display. The private, double-decker boat will start from the Temple Pier near Temple tube station on the Embankment and take you on a six-mile round trip. With special historical guests Phyliss Wheatley, General Dumas, Queen-General Yaa Asantewa, Warrior Queen Amanirenas and Olaudah Equiano, not only will you get a unique informed historical commentary as you cruise, but you will hear inspiring true stories from legendary Black resistance leaders.
Book tickets Here
Tickets: £36
Black History Month Concert
Saturday 23rd October, 2021
Join the Croydon community for their third annual Black History Month Concert at St Georges Church. The event will start with different foods from Africa and the West Indies followed by a fabulous concert from 7pm to 11pm featuring a wide range of music, from Gospel to Jazz.
St George’s Church Hall, Elstan Way, Shirley, Croydon, CR0 7PR
Book Ticket Here
Tickets: £0 – £16.76
Black History Month Celebration: Reflections from BLM + Covid
Thursday 21st October, 2021
Take a trip to Brixton for the Paradigm Network BHM annual BHM event will be bringing together a wide range of industry participants to share their thought-provoking reflections on the last 18 months of Black Lives Matter, the pandemic, and projects ideas for the future of our cities, workplaces, homes and society. This will be a great night of networking, canapes, and drinks at the fantastic setting of the Roseberry Room in The Department Store, Brixton.
Tickets for this event are limited to 70 no. persons in total, so make sure to book now to hold your spot.
Squire & Partners – Roseberry Room, 248 Ferndale Road, London, SW9 8FR
Book Ticket Here
Tickets: £10 – £20
Black History Month Talk and Films from Southwark Archives
Thursday 7 October 2021
Celebrate the rich and diverse community of Southwark during Black History Month. Watch a collection of BME films from the Southwark History Library archives and listen to an informative talk on their shared heritage. Several Southwark residents, including Peckham GP Dr Harold Moody, helped found and sustain the League of Coloured Peoples, the most influential civil rights organisation of the interwar period. Join borough archivist Dr Patricia Dark to explore the history of Southwark’s pre-Windrush Black community.
Book Ticket Here
Tickets: Free
Black Culture Market
Saturday 2 October and Sunday 3 October 2021
Visit the Black Culture Market at Downstairs at the Department Store in Brixton. Taking place over two days this market event offers a diverse, quality shopping and cultural experience celebrating producers of the African & Caribbean community. A unique selection of brands and products; ranging from clothing, food, stationary, prints, cards, books, skincare, men’s wear, ceramics, jewellery, homeware, prints, gifts, toys, original accessories and more will be available. This market truly embodies the community’s spirit as well as supporting black businesses.
Time: 11am to 5pm each day
Downstairs at The Department Store, 248 Ferndale Rd, Ferndale, London, SW9 8FR
This is a free event which you can register to here
Uncle Tom’s Cabin on Stage, with Kathleen Chater
Tuesday 5 October 2021
Find out the unexpected stories behind the preconceptions of Uncle Tom’s Cabin; the best-selling novel of the nineteenth century. Written in America, pirated in Britain, translated into 20 languages, including Welsh and Arabic, it was also phenomenally popular on the stage for over fifty years. During these decades it provided solid employment for black actors and other black entertainers.
Battersea Library, 265 Lavender Hill, London, SW11 1JB
Leyton Black History Walk with Peter Ashan
Sunday 10 October 2021
Take a walk with Peter Ashan, a local Author, Educator and Historian. Peter has a supporting book ‘Freedom Walk: The Roots of Diversity in Waltham Forest’, as a local historian we are so happy to have a new 2020 edition pocket-sized walking guide to sites where important people spent their lives, from black businesses to black schoolteachers, from football stars to festival organisers, Waltham Forest has it all.
There is a suggested £8 contribution for this event, the money collected on the day goes to a Black Charity serving the community.
1a Adelaide Road, London, E10 5NN.
Book Ticket Here
Connecting Communities Dance Festival, in Royal Borough of Greenwich
Monday 25th - Friday 29 October 2021
Connecting Communities Dance Festival brings together collaborations between residents, community groups and dance professionals, within the Royal Borough of Greenwich, in the cultural styles of our African, Asian and Caribbean diaspora communities. The live festival runs over half term, Monday 25 to Friday 29 October 2021 and is a festival for everyone of every ability who wants to come together, and joyfully dance!
Funded with a £50,000 Arts Council England grant it’s part of Black History Month and other Black History 365 events running throughout year. worked in partnership with the stellar Kauma Arts team to create it, it’s set to shine across the Royal Borough of Greenwich.
It includes free workshops that are open to everyone, so grasp the exciting opportunity to learn and dance along with a professional dancer.
Sign up or just turn up on the day.
Black History Month at Castle Square
Friday 8th October, 5.00-6.00pm
Celebrate at Castle Square with Storytelling, music, and dance - The story of Cordelia, a woman who travels on The Empire Windrush to come to England to find her brother who joined the RAF during the 2nd World War, followed by an African drummer and a dancer who will be dancing for 3 minutes or so, then another children story.
Black History Month 2021 – Honour, Remember, Inspire
4 Oct 2021 – 29 Oct 2021
Visit the Zari Gallery to discover works by Black artists in their ‘Honour, Remember, Inspire’ exhibition featuring British and International Black Artists in celebration of Black History Month. The Zari team have curated a number of artists, each with their own story.
Is God Is, At Royal Court Theatre
Friday 10 September - Saturday 23 October 2021
Book to see the award-winning play, Is God Is by Aleshea Harris. A revenge tale about two women seeking justice and taking control of their own narratives. The UK Premiere will be directed by Royal Court Associate Director Ola Ince. This is a play which collides the ancient, the modern, the tragic, the spaghetti Western, hip-hop and Afropunk.
Royal Court Theatre, Sloane Square, London, SW1W 8AS
Book Ticket Here
Tickets: £12 – £45
Whatever your race or cultural background, Black History Month is an important occasion to commemorate. It helps give context to modern life and the country's history, whilst championing the experiences and celebrating the contributions of Black Britons here in the UK.
BHM creates the opportunity to raise those uncomfortable discussions about racism and that is why it shouldn’t only be important to blacks but other races as well.
We hope you find time to celebrate those who fought for freedom and those who continue to fight for it.
Have a great weekend,
from the London Living editorial team